(KSLA) – When it rained, it poured.
Thousands were affected by Saturday’s storms, which caused power outages, flooding and downed trees.
One person died in the flood.
And during Saturday night’s peak hours, more than 24,000 people were without power.
Now people are cleaning up the mess that’s been left behind.
“The official start of hurricane season was June 1, and we always encourage our customers to be aware of the weather and prepare for the unexpected, just like this weekend,” said SWEPCO spokeswoman Shantell Jordan.
The utility blamed strong winds, lightning and flooding for the power outages. And there was another factor.
Fallen trees.
That’s why we got answers from SWEPCO on the impact of trees on power outages.
“To ensure your safety and that of your family, we are asking that you do not attempt to cut down the trees near our power lines, and instead report the threat on SWEPCO.com,” Jordan said. “And once we receive your report, we’ll review it and decide whether your regular tree felling service should be moved up for your location.”
KSLA also spoke to a certified tree specialist who can give us advice on how to properly care for your trees as you prepare for the upcoming storm season.
“The right way is to do targeted branch cutting or targeted weight loss and have a good plan,” said Bill Ledger of All About Trees. “There’s a standard, an ISA standard, on how to do that.”
And given the increased volume of water expected this hurricane season.
“We had a lot of water. Lots of water,” Ledger said. “And all that water clinging to those roots all the time. In some of those areas where it doesn’t have the best drainage, or just because there’s so much, it’s a real challenge for the roots to get into an anaerobic state where it’s not as well absorbed and doesn’t breathe as well . Roots need oxygen.”
SWEPCO customers can report power outages through the utility’s app or website, and can also request services to analyze trees near power lines.
“And while we aim to eliminate threats to our communities’ power supplies, we are not authorized to fell trees solely to protect private property,” Jordan said.
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https://www.ksla.com/2023/06/06/utility-spokeswoman-tree-expert-answer-questions-about-trees-power-outages/